Friday, July 31, 2009

Son of Fariba Kamalabadi, one of the Yaran, as well as Ms. Saberi, speak out


Some write-ups on Ms. Kamalabadi, one of the 7 imprisoned Yaran, from the L.A. Times (here and here) and Middle East Quarterly (Link to PDF here).

Fariba Kamalabadi

Posted: 29 Jul 2009

mrs-fariba-kamalabadi Mrs. Kamalabadi is one of the seven former Baha'i leaders who continues to languish in Tehran's notorious Evin prison on false and fabricated charges. She was arrested in May 2008. Several items of interest related to her condition and family efforts to inform the world of her plight became available in recent days:

Two countries are worlds apart for Bahai faithful by Kate Linthicum and Amber Smith of LA Times

DW-Kamalabadi09-Summer is a report by Dissident Watch which provides some important details.

IRAN: Bahai woman is among seven awaiting trial is a blog entry by Amber Smith of LA Times

Iraj Kamalabadi of Rancho Cucamonga constantly worries about his sister Fariba Kamalabadi, who is sitting in Tehran's infamous Evin Prison, nearly 7,600 miles away.

According to her brother and statements from human rights groups, Fariba Kamalabadi's home was raided in May 2008 and she was taken into custody. She is still being held, as are six other leaders of the Bahai community. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom says that according to the Iranian Students News Agency, the seven are accused of "espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic." Their trial was scheduled for July 11, but has been postponed indefinitely.

Iraj Kamalabadi says that his 47-year-old sister is physically weak, but remains committed to her faith. Monday, when her mother, husband and daughters visited her, she was gaunt and her skin was in terrible condition, but she assured them she was OK.

Journalist Roxana Saberi, who came to know Kamalabadi and her colleague Mahvesh Sabet while in Evin Prison, said Kamalabadi spent four months in isolation while Sabet spent six. In an e-mail Monday, Saberi described Kamalabadi's resolve. "Fariba's spirit was very strong. She gave me the impression that she trusted in God to do what was best for her and her six colleagues who are also imprisoned in Evin," Saberi says. "However, she did not seem to think about what was best for them as individuals but what might be best for Iran's Bahai community, its principles and its future."

While in solitary, Saberi says that Kamalabadi "tried to keep her spirits high by praying, reading and exercising, even though her prison cell was small, and she had to exercise in place most of the time."

Saberi, who was released from Evin Prison in May, implored in a letter this month to the White House, U.S. Department of State and a religious rights commission that more be done to "raise the case" for their release.

In May, on the one-year anniversary of her mother's arrest and detention, Kamalabadi's daughter Alhan Taefi, 23, wrote a letter reflecting on her grief. "I remember in preparation for the mothers' day, when all my friends were talking about what presents they were going to buy for their moms, I forced myself not to burst into tears, in order to be strong," she says. "The same way you wanted me to be, the same way you are."

Earlier this year, Kamalabadi noticed that a piece of a carrot from her meal had signs of growth. She took it, wrapped it in paper and watered it inside the poorly lit prison. It grew into a small plant, which she gave her daughter Taraneh Taefi, 14, for her birthday. The experience was so emotional that fellow visitors and prisoners burst into tears as Taefi received it. In Alhan Taefi's letter, she says, "This plant stood as a symbol of you for me. When I was lonely, I would go and cuddle it, talk to it, caress it, and kiss it — I would feel it was you standing before me."

Amber Smith in Los Angeles


96 / MIDDLE EAST QUARTERLY SUMMER 2009

Dissident Watch

Fariba Kamalabadi

by Vargha Taefi and Nazila Ghanea

Vargha Taefi, the son of Fariba Kamalabadi, has studied at the Baha'i Institute of Higher Education and at the University of Leicester; he is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Warwick.

Nazila Ghanea is a lecturer in international human rights law at the University of Oxford and editor-in-chief of the international journal of Religion and Human Rights.

Fariba Kamalabadi, 47, who had been serving in a voluntary capacity on an Iranian Baha'i body known as the Yaran (The friends) since 2006, was detained at her home on May 14, 2008, and then taken to Tehran's Evin Prison. Simultaneously, five of her colleagues on the Yaran were also arrested and taken to Evin while a sixth had previously been arrested in Mashhad on March 6, 2008. Amnesty International recognizes all seven as prisoners of conscience.

1After Kamalabadi endured months of incommunicado detention, mistreatment, and denial of heart medication,
2 Tehran's deputy prosecutor general for security affairs, Hasan Haddad, announced on February 11, 2009, that the seven would be tried on charges of espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran.3

Then, in response to an announcement by Iranian attorney general Ayatollah Qorban-'Ali Dorri-Najafabadi that all Baha'i establishments run counter to Iranian constitutional law, the Baha'i community in March 2009 disbanded the Yaran and all other Baha'i organizations in Iran. Dorri-Najafabadi further announced that the very declaration of Baha'i belief is illegal.4 The government requires Baha'is to declare their religion—for example when registering births, seeking inheritance, applying for business licenses, or registering for school—so this declaration puts Baha'is in a situation of having to engage in illegal activity.

When the Yaran was operational—with the full knowledge and tacit agreement of the Iranian authorities—it was recognized by Iran's three hundred thousand Baha'is as their informal organizational body. Since Baha'is do not have a clerical religious structure, this body handled all community needs.

Kamalabadi is not new to religious discrimination. She had wanted to follow in her father's footsteps and become a physician, but university entrance was denied her in the early 1980s on religious grounds—no Baha'i has completed university studies since then. When the Baha'i community in Iran established the Baha'i Institute for Higher Education in 1987, Kamalabadi was among the first group of students to graduate and later completed her postgraduate degree in education, specializing in developmental psychology.

Kamalabadi faced arrest twice in 2005: first in a raid at her home by officers of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence on May 25, 2005, after which she was held for thirty-five days, twentytwo of which she spent in solitary confinement. Later that year, she was seized while traveling and detained in Mashhad and later Evin Prison, spending nearly two months in solitary confinement. During her period of captivity since 2008, Kamalabadi has only been afforded a handful of visits with her family and has been denied access to her lawyer, Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi.

While Kamalabadi is not alone in the battle for free expression in Iran, she has become a symbol for those seeking religious freedom and the right to say who they are and for what they stand.

Notes:

1 Amnesty International, May 15, 2008, Aug. 6, 2008, Feb. 12, 2009.

2 Radio Free Europe, Feb. 17, 2009.

3 Press TV (Tehran), Feb. 15, 2009.

4 Journalist Club, Feb. 19, 2009; Baha'i International Community to Ayatollah Qorban-Ali Dorri-Najafabadi, attorney general, Islamic Republic of Iran, Mar. 4, 2009; Baha'i World News Service, Mar. 6, 2009; Iran Press Watch, Mar. 12, 2009.


Thursday, July 16, 2009

Circular cites Grand Ayatollahs' verdict on Baha'is as 'unclean', forbidding all intercourse


Distribution of an Anti-Baha'i Proclamation

Posted: 03 Jul 2009

The reliable outlet Peyke Iran reported on Friday, July 3, 2009, that certain unknown individuals have widely disseminated a proclamation in Marvdasht, a district in Shiraz, warning people against business dealings with the Baha'is. In this proclamation, they have cited high religious authorities who have issued rulings against such dealings and interactions with the Baha'is.

Pictures of two such documents were provided by the Baha'is of Iran to media outlets and appear below in translation.

The first is a letter to Grand Ayatollahs inquiring about the Baha'is and dealing with them:

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful!

Peace be upon the blessed threshold of the sources of emulation of the Islamic world!

Respectfully it is submitted: the wayward sect of the Baha'i has been active in one of the districts in the vicinity of Shiraz and, regrettably, some Muslims, because of being ill-informed, have associated and consort with them on a regular basis. As such, we beseech your distinguished selves to offer an opinion on the following questions so that the public is informed:

We cherish the hope that all enemies of the Sacred Household of Muhammad (Peace be upon them), particularly those harboring enmity towards the Hidden Imam, are uprooted.

1. What is the ruling in regard to wedlock of a Muslim with a Baha'i (namely, for a Baha'i woman with a Muslim man, and for a Muslim woman with a Baha'i man)?

2. What is the ruling about business transactions or dealings with Baha'is?

3. What is the opinion of your distinguished selves regarding shaking hands and kissing Baha'is?

4. What is the ruling about eating food prepared at a Baha'i home or by a Baha'i hand?

5. What is the ruling for eating out of a plate or drinking from a glass used earlier by a Baha'i?

6. What is the ruling for attending celebrations or weddings of Baha'is, or attending commemorative services by Baha'is because they were known to [Muslim] attendees?

7. Working (such as in building construction, etc) by a Baha'i for a Muslim, and for a Muslim to be employed by a Baha'i?

8. Are the Baha'is considered infidels and najis [lit. defiled, in Shi'te jurisprudence it designates unclean or untouchable]?

The second document provides the response of several Grand Ayatollahs to these questions and request for religious rulings. Responses bear the signature and seal of each jurist:

The illustrious Ayatollah [Ali] Khamenei:

All followers of the wayward Baha'i sect are condemned as infidels and najis [unclean], and [Muslims] should avoid food and substances containing moisture touched by the Baha'is. The believers are duty-bound to combat trickeries and seditions of this wayward sect.

The illustrious Ayatollah Behjat:

They are najis and association with them should be avoided.

The illustrious Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi:

Every form of affiliation, socializing, marriage, buying, selling and other contact with members of the misguided Baha'i sect is forbidden. Muslims must completely avoid such actions.

The members of the misguided [Baha'i] sect are outside of Islam and any kind of interaction with them is forbidden.

[Source: http://www.peykeiran.com/Content.aspx?ID=3244. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]

UK Prime Minister meets Baha'i delegation, highlights case of imprisoned Baha'is in Iran

 

PM underlines concern for Iran's Bahá'ís at historic meeting with Bahá'í delegation

Posted: 15 Jul 2009

The Prime Minister Gordon Brown has underlined the UK government's concern over the seven Bahá'í leaders being detained in Iran.

Mr Brown's remarks were made at a meeting which took place this afternoon at the Prime Minister's office in the Houses of Parliament, attended by Lembit Öpik, MP for Montgomeryshire – who is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Friends of the Bahá'ís group – and a delegation of three Bahá'ís, including two members of the national governing council of the Bahá'í Faith in the United Kingdom.

It was the first ever meeting between a UK Prime Minister and representatives of the Bahá'í community, which was established in Britain in 1898.

The prisoners – five men and two women – were arrested in spring 2008. Prior to their arrest they were members of an informal committee looking after the affairs of Iran's 300,000 strong Bahá'í community, the country's largest non-Muslim religious minority. Charges against the seven have been reported in government-controlled mass media as "espionage for Israel", "insulting religious sanctities" and "propaganda against the Islamic republic". A further accusation of "spreading corruption on earth" has also been cited.

For more than a year, the seven have been detained in Tehran's notorious Evin prison without charge or access to their legal counsel, the Nobel laureate Dr Shirin Ebadi. Expectations that a trial would take place earlier this week were not realised. Some 30 other Bahá'ís are currently in prison in Iran.

The Bahá'í delegation was led by Dr Kishan Manocha, Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom. Also present were the Honourable Barney Leith, Director of Diplomatic Relations for the UK Bahá'í community, and Mrs Bahar Tahzib. Mrs Tahzib – originally from Iran, but now living in Sussex – shared with the Prime Minister her first hand experience of religious persecution. Her father Yusuf Subhani was executed in Iran for being a Bahá'í in June 1980. Her uncle, Mr Jamaloddin Khanjani, is one the seven detained Bahá'í leaders in Iran.

"My uncle is 75 years old and he has been kept in unsuitable conditions for more than a year," Mrs Tahzib told the Prime Minister. "This is clearly a cause of great concern for the family and their wish is for a fair trial."

"I was very touched by the Prime Minister's genuine expressions of sympathy and concern," said Mrs Tahzib after the meeting.

"We expressed our gratitude to the Prime Minister for the government's ongoing support of our persecuted co-religionists in Iran," added Dr Manocha, "and we particularly thanked Mr Brown for his personal support and understanding. We raised with him the need for the seven Bahá'í leaders to be released immediately – and that if Iran refuses to do this, a public trial must be held that respects internationally recognized trial standards."

"Recent events in Iran have clearly demonstrated to the world the methods utilized by the government – particularly the manipulation of the judiciary process, to arbitrarily impose its will on those it declares to be its enemies," said Mr Öpik. "The examples of the case of Roxana Saberi, the protestors picked up on the streets, in their homes and hospital beds, and the arrests of foreign and domestic journalists, among others, illustrate a pattern of arbitrary arrest, coercion, false confessions, baseless charges, and summary judgments."

"The persecution of the Bahá'ís in Iran is a matter of religious prejudice and has nothing to do with state security. The seven – along with the 30 other Bahá'ís currently in prison in Iran – are being held solely because of their religious beliefs. Their imprisonment and impending trial are part of a systematic effort to dismantle the Bahá'í leadership as part of a larger process to destroy the Bahá'í community in Iran," said Dr Manocha.

 
 

Delay in trial of Baha'i leaders - report and reactions


Two articles concerning the renewed delay in the anticipated trial against the 'Yaran'.

Reports: Trial of Baha'is delayed in Iran
July 14, 2009

(CNN) -- A death-penalty trial of seven Baha'i prisoners accused of spying for Israel has been delayed, Iranian officials have told family members, according to the U.S. Baha'i Office of External Affairs.

The trial did not begin Saturday as scheduled and no date for its resumption has been given, the Baha'i office said. The government has not officially commented on the status of the trial.

The seven Baha'is have been held for more than a year without formal charges or access to their attorneys, said Diane Ala'i, representative to the United Nations for the Baha'i International Community.

She said the seven are being legally represented by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi and human rights lawyer Abdolfattah Soltani. But according to the human rights group Amnesty International, Soltani was arrested in Iran on June 16 and his whereabouts are unknown.

Ala'i said the lawyers have not had access to their clients, though they have been able to read their files.

The Iranian government has been under international pressure to release the Baha'i prisoners.

Responding to a letter from Roxana Saberi, the Iranian-American journalist who spent four months in an Iranian jail earlier this year, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has demanded the group be freed rather than stand trial on charges of espionage and religious violations. If convicted, they could face execution.

"In addition to the hundreds of Iranians who have been detained in the context of Iran's disputed presidential poll, many other 'security detainees' arrested long before the June election remain behind bars," Saberi said in her letter requesting U.S. government intervention in the Baha'i case.

"These Iranians and the authorities who have detained them need to know that the Iranian people's human rights are a matter of international concern," she said.

Saberi, who was tried, convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison on espionage charges, spent time in a cell at Tehran's Evin prison with two of the Baha'i prisoners. Saberi was released in May.

Leonard Leo, chairman of USCIRF, said last week that the crackdown on protests after Iran's June 12 presidential elections "have exposed the world to the cold realities about how the Iranian government regularly deals with dissent or views that are a perceived threat to the theocratic regime."

"The charges against these imprisoned Baha'is are baseless and a pretext for the persecution and harassment of a disfavored religious minority," Leo said. "They should be released immediately."

USCIRF, which is an independent bipartisan federal commission, said the seven Baha'is are charged under the jurisdiction of Branch 28 of Iran's Revolutionary Court, the same judicial process that convicted Saberi in April. The Baha'i prisoners are accused of spying for Israel, spreading propaganda against the Islamic Republic, and committing religious offenses.

"This trial is all about them being Baha'i," Ala'i said. "The accusations are completely false."

The Baha'i faith is a world religion that originated in 19th-century Persia, but Iran does not recognize it. Baha'is are regarded as apostates and heretics in Iran, where they have long been persecuted.

Ala'i said that, since the Islamic revolution in 1979, more than 200 Baha'is have been executed in Iran.

Iran denies that the Baha'i community is mistreated. Earlier this year, prosecutor general Qorban-Ali Dorri Najafabadi told state-run Press TV that the Iranian government has afforded the Baha'is "all the facilities offered to other Iranian citizens."

Najafabadi also said there is irrefutable evidence that many Baha'is are in close contact with Iran's enemies and have strong links to Israel.

The treatment of the Baha'is in Iran and the detention of the seven prisoners have attracted global attention.

Human Rights Watch, the world rights monitoring group, last month called for the release of the imprisoned or a prompt trial, with "fair and open proceedings."

Lawyer Cherie Blair, the wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, wrote a newspaper column last week (read it here) urging international pressure before the trial to "ensure the seven men and women receive a fair trial and a chance of justice."

From CNN.com.



AJC: Where's the Outrage over Iran's Baha'i Show Trial?

Posted: 14 Jul 2009

Editor's Note: The following Press Release was posted by the American Jewish Committee: http://www.ajc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=ijITI2PHKoG&b=849241&ct=7182869

July 10, 2009 – New York – AJC urged widespread international condemnation of tomorrow's show trial of seven members of the Baha'i faith in Iran, who face possible execution on fabricated charges of spying for Israel.

"America's leaders, and all people of good will, should demand the release of these seven victims of religious persecution," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "Ahmadinejad and Khamenei's jail cells are overflowing with religious minorities, political dissenters, and prisoners of conscience. Where is the outrage?"

Responding to an appeal from Roxana Saberi, the Iranian-American journalist who was jailed alongside two of the Baha'i until being freed in May, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has demanded the prisoners' immediate release. Saberi explained that the "international attention" devoted to her case "helped lead to my release," and urged similar scrutiny of the plight of the Baha'i.

Harris said, "Over the past month, the Iranian regime has revealed its brutal and untrustworthy nature to the world. Desperate attempts to blame everything on Israel won't hide the fact that Iran has murdered its own citizens in the streets."

Since the current regime seized power in 1979, Baha'is in Iran have been the target of extreme persecution, including torture and arbitrary imprisonment, because of their faith.

Update, July 13, 2009: The Iranian authorities have said that the trial will be delayed. No date has been set. The seven Baha'i leaders remain in custody.

From Iran Press Watch

44 Baha'is currently serving prison sentences


List of Baha'is Imprisoned in Iran

Posted: 15 Jul 2009

Introduction

Iran Press Watch has updated its list of Baha'is imprisoned in Iran because of their religious affiliation and plans to publish a monthly update.

Babol

Mr. Moshfeq Samandari (Apr. 14, 2009) here

Bushehr

Asadollah Jaberi (Jul. 9, 2009) here

Amad (Kaveh) Jaberi (Jul. 9, 2009) here

Karaj

Shahram Safajoo (Apr. 26, 2009) here

Qa'emshahr

Masoud Atayian (Nov 17, 2008) here

Anisa Fanaian (Jan 18, 2009) here

Mazandaran

Zia'u'llah Allahverdi (Jun. 24, 2009) here

Sonya Tebyanian (Allahverdi) (Jun. 24, 2009) here

Sari

Fayzu'llah Rushan (Apr. 2008) here

Fuad Naeimi (Sep. 2007) here

Simin Gorji (2008) here

'Ali Ahmadi (2008) here

Changiz Derakhshanian (2008) here

Siyamak Ibrahimi-Nia (2008) here

Zia'u'llah Allahverdi (Oct 18, 2008) here

Sonya Allahverdi (Oct 18, 2008) here

Anvar Moslemi (Nov 22, 2008) here

Soheila Motallebi (Nov 22, 2008) here

Firouzeh Yegan (Jan 10, 2009) here

Pegah Sanai (Jan 10, 2009) here

Torreh Taqi-Zadeh (Feb 15, 2009) here

Mishel Ismaelpour (Apr 21, 2009) here

Semnan

Mrs. Sahba Rezvani-Fanaian (Dec. 15, 2008; transferred to Evin on May 4, 2009) here

Adel Fanaian (Jan. 5, 2009) here

Taher Eskandarian (Jan. 5, 2009) here

Abbas Nurani (Jan. 5, 2009) here

Mr. Pooya Tebyanian (Mar. 8, 2009)

Mrs. Manizheh Nasrillahi (June 17, 2009) here

Shiraz

Sasan Taqva (Nov. 2007)

Raha Sabet (Nov. 2007)

Mehran Karami (Feb. 2009)

Haleh Rouhi (Nov. 2007)

Tehran

Mahvash Sabet (Mar. 2008) here

Jamaloddin Khanjani (May 2008) here

Saeid Rezaie (May 2008) here

Fariba Kamalabadi (May 2008) here

Vahid Tizfahm (May 2008) here

Behrouz Tavakkoli (May 2008) here

Afif Naeimi (May 2008) here

Tonekabon

Badi'u'llah Fazli

Yasuj

Ali-Askar Ravanbakhsh (Oct. 28, 2008) here

Zulaykha Musavi (Oct. 28, 2008) here

Ruhiyyih Yazdani (Oct. 28, 2008) here

Yazd

Mehran Bandi (Aug. 28, 2008) here


From Iran Press Watch

Pattern of blaming Baha'is for every ordeal intensifying: further imprisonments


Regarding the following two articles detaili sentencings of innocent Baha'is, it has happened,

"...against a background such that every form of turmoil and insecurity in the nation is blamed on the Baha'is, though no one has ever produced the slightest evidence in support of any wrongdoing by the Baha'is. From the bombing of the Husayniyh in Shiraz to the present conflicts in all towns, particularly Tehran, they blame every form of unrest on the Baha'is!

"...every day, based on the most frivolous excuses, Baha'is are subject to interrogation, violation and arrest – and so far, not a shred of evidence against them has come to light."


Two Baha'is Sentenced to Imprisonment

Posted: 15 Jul 2009

sonia_-_tarazollah_allahverdi The following news was posted in Persian on the Khabar Navard site and is offered below in translation:

Last year witnessed many incidents of attacks on Baha'i homes in the Mazandaran region, and interrogations and arrests of Baha'is. These persecutions were particularly intense in such towns as Behshahr, Qaemshahr, Sari and Tonekabon

Two Baha'i residents of Behshahr, in the province of Mazandaran, namely, Zia'u'llah Allahverdi and his wife, Sonya Tebyanian (Allahverdi) were incarcerated for 50 days last fall (see previous post). During May and June of 2009, they had two court sessions, which on June 24 resulted in a verdict of a 2-year and a 1-year sentence for the husband and wife, respectively.

The charge against them is "activities against national security". The two Baha'is were given 20 days, that is, until July 14, 2009, to file an appeal.

The above is happening against a background such that every form of turmoil and insecurity in the nation is blamed on the Baha'is, though no one has ever produced the slightest evidence in support of any wrongdoing by the Baha'is. From the bombing of the Husayniyh in Shiraz to the present conflicts in all towns, particularly Tehran, they blame every form of unrest on the Baha'is!

It is noteworthy that from the perspective of religious law, civil law or just basic ethics, to charge someone without any evidence or proof is viewed as immoral and a transgression. However, every day, based on the most frivolous excuses, Baha'is are subject to interrogation, violation and arrest – and so far, not a shred of evidence against them has come to light.

It is now more than a year since the former Baha'i leaders of Iran were incarcerated without any formal charges in the notorious Evin prison, and languish in the harshest physical and psychological conditions. Each day, the Iranian regime accuses them of a new crime and adds to the preposterous charges against them. Every so often their families have been promised a trial for their 7 loved ones, and then the trial has been canceled or postponed.

[Posted on June 28, 2009, at: http://khabarnavard.blogspot.com/2009/06/blog-post_4152.html. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]



Baha’is Arrested in Bushehr

Posted: 15 Jul 2009

The port city of Bushehr (or Bushihr) has a long and important association with the Baha’i community, as it was in Bushehr that Siyyid Ali-Muhammad Shirazi, known as the Bab, a co-founder of the Baha’i Faith, lived for six years from 1834 to 1840, engaged in commerce and writing the early compositions of his doctrines and teachings.
In recent times, there has been almost no news about harassment of the Baha’is in that town, but the following disturbing report was filed by the Committee of Human Rights Reporters, which appears below in translation:
According to a report received by our office, on Thursday, July 9, 2009, at 11:30 am, a number of individuals in civilian clothing who introduced themselves as agents of the Ministry of Intelligence went to the work place of Mr. Asadollah Jaberi in Bushehr and asked him to accompany them to his residence.
Upon arrival, they searched Mr. Jaberi’s home for three hours from 12 noon until 3 pm, and confiscated a large quantity of his personal property, such as books, CDs, videos, computer case, laptop, mobile phone, and other items belonging to the Jaberi family.
Once the search was concluded, the agents arrested Mr. Jaberi and his son, Amad (Kaveh) and took them to the local office of the Ministry of Intelligence.
At 3:30 pm, agents of the same Ministry went to the home of Farideh Jaberi [a daughter of Asadollah Jaberi] and confiscated her books, CDs, computer case and other personal items, and compelled her to present herself at the Ministry’s office in Bushehr on Saturday, July 11.
On the same day, the home of Mr. Parham Ranjir was searched at 7:30 pm, followed by the search of the residence of Mr. Bahram Zare’i at 8 pm, and the search of the home of Abbas Zare’i at 8:30 pm. However, since Bahram Zare’i was away on a journey, the agents were not able to search his residence.
It should be noted that the arrest of Asadollah and Amad Jaberi took place without any court order or warrants, and the arresting agents did not specify the charge against these two individuals. So far, no news has been received of their condition.
[Posted on July 10, 2009, at http://chrr.us/spip.php?article4478 and http://khabarnavard.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-post_9359.html. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]

From Iran Press Watch

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Tale of spiritual triumph - former Evin prisoner's book "Prisoner in Tehran"

 
Neysan Zölzer relates this book's story to the current imprisonment of the 7 former Baha'i leaders in Evin, on his penetrating blog neysn's posterous.
 

Imprisoned in Evin

The car speeded north toward the Alborz Mountains. After about half an hour, in the pale moonlight, I saw the snake-like walls of Evin zigzagging across the hills. A dull pain filled my stomach and spread into my bones. We entered a narrow, winding street, and the tall, red-brick walls of the prison appeared in our right. Every few yards, from lookout towers, floodlights poured their intense brightness into the night. We neared a large metal gate and came to a stop in front of it. There were bearded, armed guards everywhere. The barbed wire covering the top of the wall cast a tangled shadow on the pavement. The driver stepped out, and the guard sitting in the front passenger seat gave me a thick strip of cloth and told me to blindfold myself. "Make sure it's on properly, or you'll get in trouble!" he barked. With my blindfold in place, the car passed through the gates and continued for two or three minutes before again coming to a stop. The doors were opened, and I was instructed to step out. Someone tied my wrists with rope and dragged me along. I stumbled over an obstacle and fell.
"Are you blind?" a voice asked, and laughter followed.

Such is an excerpt from 'Prisoner of Tehran' by Marina Nemat. Arrested during the Iranian Revolution, the 16-year old student activist was jailed in Tehran's infamous Evin prison, tortured and sentenced to death. She was kept alive through the intervention of one of her interrogators only moments before her execution. Forced to convert to Islam, forced to marry that same interrogator, and subjugated until he is assassinated, she faces terrifying physical and psychological pain behind the prison walls.

Soon, it felt warmer, and I knew we had entered a building. A narrow strip of light appeared below my blindfold, and I saw that we were walking along a corridor. The air smelled of sweat and vomit. I was instructed to sit on the floor and wait. I could feel other people sitting close to me , but I couldn't see them. Everyone was silent, but vague, angry voices came from behind closed doors. Every once in a while, I filtered out a word or two: Liar! Tell me! Names! Write it! And, sometimes, I heard people scream in pain. My heart began to beat so fast it pushed against my chest and made it ache, so I put my hands on it and pressed down. After a while, a harsh voice told someone to sit next to me. It was a girl, and she was crying.

Marina Nemat's book is riveting – absolutely. Her story is a tale of spiritual triumph – love over hate, freedom over oppression. Her beautiful spirit instils hope despite immeasurable suffering.

The book has a special relevance to current affairs as the seven Baha'i arrested in March and May still await their trial in that same prison of Evin.

Imprisoned Baha'i LeadersThe Baha'is are being held in Evin's Section 209, run by various security services, most of which are loyal to the clergy and thus this section is beyond the jurisdiction of Iranian Prison Authorities. The section is known to keep 'political prisoners', usually students, journalists, human-rights activists, and of course Baha'is. I'm assuming these days that section is overflowing with young people who were incarcerated during recent protests.

Former prisoners have complained of human rights abuses, such as solitary confinement, harsh interrogation tactics, and even torture. One form of solitary confinement is 'white torture' where the lights of a windowless 2 by 3 meter cell are constantly left on, often for months at a time. The lack of human contact may lead to certain mental illnesses such as depression or an existential crisis. Furthermore, prisoners are denied permission to contact their families for many weeks, sometimes even threatened that their families too will be maltreated.

We now stand close to the trial of the seven Baha'is, due to happen on July 11th. At times i feel prayer is the only thing that will save them.

 

Monday, July 13, 2009

Excluded from sporting team for being Baha'i


Baha'i Disqualified from National Youth Judo Team

Posted: 30 Jun 2009

The Persian page of Baha'i World News Service (BWNS) reported the following news on June 25, 2009. Translation by Iran Press Watch:

After repeated appeals to the chair of the Judo Federation in Iran, on June 15, 2009, Mr. Khashayar Zare'i, a 16 year old Baha'i, was given permission to participate in qualifying contests for selection of Iran's National Judo Team in the youth category. This news was published on the internet site Iran University Journalists.

Despite the fact that Mr. Zare'i was one of the 21 winners in these contests, the Judo Commission of the province of Fars disqualified him from membership in the national team on the grounds that he was a Baha'i. The Federation officials stated, "In accordance with instructions issued by the Protection Office of the Physical Education Organization, Khashayar has been barred from participation in future competitions."

Last year, Mr. Zare'i was also prevented from participating in youth competitions at the Asian games.

Further details are available from the Goftman site, based on unidentified sources, though presumably assembled from information directly received from the Baha'is of Iran:

Khashayar Zare'i is a sixteen year old Baha'i youth who has been barred from membership in Iran's National Youth Judo Team. He is, however, the judo champion of Iranian youth and for schools across the nation.

Last year, he was selected to represent Iran at the Asian youth judo tournament in Yemen, but the Iranian Judo Federation declared that Zare'i could not participate nor be a member of the national team because he was a Baha'i. This was later confirmed by the coaching staff of the national team, the Judo Commission of the province of Fars, and the Protection Office of the Physical Education Organization. The Protection Office stated that their pronouncement was in conformity with existing laws, but did not specify which law prohibited Baha'is from participating in sports competitions.

The recent youth judo trials were held on June 15, 2009, and the Federation once again perpetrated the same discrimination. That is, at first the Judo Commission of Fars province refused to allow Mr. Zare'i credentials in order to enter the tournament. After considerable follow up, the chair of the Iranian Judo Federation, Mr. Amini, intervened and declared that no legal grounds existed for prohibiting Zare'i's participation.

On the trial day, Zare'i participated in contests and won his matches. Once again, however, the Federation pronounced that since Zare'i was a Baha'i, he could not be a member of the national team nor could he represent Iran at the world championship tournament in Armenia. The Federation authorities pointed out that the orders had come from the Protection Office of the Physical Education Organization and that the Federation had to comply.

The by-laws of the International Judo Federation and other national Federations indicate that they are non-governmental entities and must operate independently of politics and any form of discrimination. It has been emphasized in these by-laws that one of the duties of these Federations and their auxiliary branches is to safeguard against any national, religious, ethnic or racial discrimination. It should be noted that the present religious discrimination in the Judo Federation not only includes athletic participation, but also bars Baha'is from being referees or coaches – discrimination which is against the very spirit of sportsmanship.

This issue clearly indicates that sports in Iran have become politicized – an situation which is at variance with the by-laws of the International Olympics Committee as well as Iran's own Constitution. This results in a flawed system, as the athletes' abilities do not determine their success.

[Original sources: http://news.persian-bahai44.org/2009062501 and http://www.goftman-iran3.info/content/view/1272/23/. Translation by Iran Press Watch.]


From Iran Press Watch

Child executions: the horrifying reality in Iran


Access the report cited below in PDF format here.

Editor's Note (from Iran Press Watch, article found here, besides the one below): According to many national and international sources the Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the few states in the world that continues to execute children. Iran Press Watch has recently come across a report by the London-based Foreign Policy Centre about child executions in Iran. The report mentions 17-year-old Mona Mahmoudnezhad, a Baha'i youth who was hanged in 1983.


Ivan Lewis, Minister of State, Crown copyright

    LOCATION Portcullis House, London

    SPEAKER Foreign Office Minister, Ivan Lewis

    DATE 01/07/2009

    Foreign Office Minister, Ivan Lewis, attended the launch of a new report by the Foreign Policy Centre and organisation Stop Child Executions on juvenile executions in Iran.

    The report aims to provide comprehensive documentation and analysis of Islamic Republic of Iran's execution of minors since 1979 and put forward clear recommendations for action by the international community and human rights campaigners.



    Read the speech

    [check against delivery]

    Many thanks for inviting me here tonight to mark the launch of the Stop Child Executions report into juvenile executions in Iran.

    The launch of this report is timely: we have all been watching with concern the aftermath to the election in Iran. We have said repeatedly that we do not want to interfere in Iran's internal affairs: it is for Iranians to decide who should govern them.

    But with our EU partners we have condemned the arrest and detention of peaceful demonstrators and journalists. People everywhere in the world have the right to express their views freely and peacefully.

    We must continue to speak out when we see such tragic events, particularly given that Iran's human rights record is a cause for concern to us all.

    The plight of the 130 children currently on death row throughout Iran is just one such concern that must remain at the very forefront of all our minds.

    No doubt you will all remember what you were doing early on the morning of the 1 May, when you learned of the tragic news that Delara Darabi had been put to death, hanged for a crime she was accused of committing when she was just 17.

    Despite six years of tireless campaigning for her release by the international community, led by Stop Child Executions, Delara was executed suddenly and without warning. Neither her family nor her lawyer was told until it was too late.

    It is a fitting tribute that Delara's artwork adorns the cover of this pamphlet.

    Unfortunately her death is the latest in a terribly long list. Iran has executed at least forty juvenile offenders since 1999, and is one of the only countries to continue this unacceptable practice.

    Such acts are simply wrong.

    They are also in clear violation of internationally accepted norms and legal standards. The Iranian government must know this, not least because it has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and actively participated in the drafting of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Both unequivocally prohibit the use of the death penalty against people convicted of crimes committed under the age of 18.

    The Iranian government has committed themselves to protecting and enshrining the rights contained within. They have also agreed to hold themselves accountable before the international community.

    The UK Government is determined to help that happen. Alongside our EU partners we are committed to speaking out publically against the death penalty wherever it is applied, and make representations on behalf of each and every juvenile at risk of execution.

    Over the last eighteen months we, alongside our EU partners, have made direct representations to the Iranian authorities on behalf of juveniles facing the noose.

    And international pressure has made a difference. In many cases they have been issued a stay of execution.

    Yet this is not enough. Words are not enough. And the present situation has made it even harder for us to get our message across.

    The international community and civil society has a role to play. We are strongest when we work together.

    That is why the work of organisations such as Stop Child Executions is so important.

    Not only do they provide valuable information for the outside world, they provide hope and support to the victims and their families, and also to millions of Iranians who are campaigning for their government to abolish juvenile executions for good.

    I am extremely encouraged by the publication of this comprehensive report. It provides irrefutable evidence as to the situation on the ground and makes many excellent recommendations for both Iran and the international community to take forward.

    Importantly, the report highlights the many legal inconsistencies in Iran's judiciary and stark contradictions between its actions and its human rights commitments.

    Reports such as this are particularly important as Iran prepares to stand before the UN's Universal Period Review in 2010.

    The UN's "UPR" process is an increasingly effective mechanism used to examine member States' human rights records. The UK government is committed to engaging with the process and hope we can work together with organisations such as SCE and the Foreign Policy Centre to make that happen.

    Publications and events like this serve to remind the Iranian authorities that the eyes of the world are on them. Their actions do not go unnoticed.

    In conclusion, I want to thank the authors of this report for doing just that.

    And for reminding us all here tonight just how far Iran really is from implementing its freely undertaken human rights commitments, and why we must all continue to work together to fight for the rights of those who are denied a voice.

    Sources: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/newsroom/latest-news/?view=Speech&id=20450791
    http://fpc.org.uk/publications/ChildExecutions

    US Congressman urges respect for human rights as condition for dialogue with Iran, mentions Baha'i minority

     

    Congressman Frank Wolf demands human rights as integral part of dialogue with Iran

    Posted: 09 Jul 2009

     On July 9, 2009, Rep. Frank Wolf of Virginia made the following statement, urging the Obama administration "to make human rights and religious freedom, including the persecuted Baha'is, an integral part of the dialogue" with Iran.

    "Madam Speaker, May 14 marked the one-year anniversary of the imprisonment of the seven-member national committee of the Iranian Baha'is. They have been unjustly held for over a year without formal charges or access to their attorneys."According to The New York Times, the seven Baha'is are scheduled to face trial this Saturday, July 11.

    "They will reportedly be charged with "espionage for Israel," a crime which is punishable by death.

    "The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom recently released their 2009 report which recommends that the State Department designate Iran a country of particular concern due to its gross violations of religious freedom.

    "Such violations include the execution of over 200 Baha'i leaders since 1979, the desecration of Baha'i cemeteries and places of worship and the violent arrest and harassment of members of the Baha'i faith.

    "As the administration seeks diplomatic engagement with Iran, I urge them to make human rights and religious freedom, including the persecuted Baha'is, an integral part of the dialogue.

    "Human dignity and freedom must not be relegated to the sidelines."

    [Source: http://iran.bahai.us/2009/07/09/u-s-representative-frank-wolf-makes-statement-in-defense-of-the-bahais-in-iran/]

     
     

    NORWAY: Iran’s charge d’affaires summoned over human rights situation in Iran

     

    Norway summons Iran diplomat over human rights concerns

    Posted: 09 Jul 2009

     Norway's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in Oslo, Mohsen Bavafa, to express its concern for the human rights situation in Iran.
    Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere also called on Iran to release protesters arrested after the disputed 12 June presidential election, the ministry said in a statement.
    "The authorities in Iran do not respect basic human rights," Stoere said.
    "Norway objects to the politically-motivated arrests, and reacts in particular to the fact that local employees at the British embassy in Tehran have been imprisoned," he added.
    Iran arrested nine Iranian employees at the British embassy in Tehran, and accused them of fomenting post-election unrest. All but one of the nine have been released.
    Oslo also condemned the arrests of opposition members, journalists, human rights activists and peaceful demonstrators.
    "Iranian authorities are urged to immediately stop political arrests and release those unjustly imprisoned," said the foreign minister.
    Norway also condemned the 4 July execution of 20 Iranians convicted of drug trafficking.
    In addition, Stoere raised his concern over the situation of the Baha'i community in Iran, in particular the upcoming trial against seven Baha'i leaders in Tehran.
    "I urge the Iranian authorities to respect the religious beliefs of all minorities in Iran," he said.
    [Source: Norway's Foreign Ministry website via Washington TV]
     

    CNN: Roxana Saberi, U.S. rights panel call for release of Baha'is imprisoned in Iran


    Two articles on the pending trial of the 'Yaran' in Iran.

    • STORY HIGHLIGHTS
    • Seven Baha'is in Iran to face trial Saturday, could face death penalty
    • U.S. panel on religious freedom urges their release, calls charges "baseless"
    • The seven leaders are accused of spying for Israel and religious offenses
    • Rights groups say the seven have spent a year in jail without access to lawyer
    (CNN) -- Seven Baha'i prisoners face a death-penalty trial Saturday in Iran amid calls for their release from a U.S. panel on religious freedom.
    A U.S. panel on religious freedom has demanded the immediate release of the imprisoned Bahai's.

    A U.S. panel on religious freedom has demanded the immediate release of the imprisoned Bahai's.

    Responding to a letter from Roxana Saberi, the Iranian-American journalist who spent four months in an Iranian jail earlier this year, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) demanded the seven prisoners be freed rather than stand trial on charges of espionage and religious violations. If convicted, they could face execution.

    "In addition to the hundreds of Iranians who have been detained in the context of Iran's disputed presidential poll, many other 'security detainees' arrested long before the June election remain behind bars," Saberi said in her letter requesting U.S. government intervention in the Baha'i case.

    "These Iranians and the authorities who have detained them need to know that the Iranian people's human rights are a matter of international concern," she said.

    Saberi, who was tried, convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison on espionage charges, spent time in a cell at Tehran's Evin prison with two of the Baha'i prisoners. Saberi was released in May.

    Leonard Leo, chairman of USCIRF, said the crackdown on protests after Iran's June 12 presidential elections "have exposed the world to the cold realities about how the Iranian government regularly deals with dissent or views that are a perceived threat to the theocratic regime."

    "The charges against these imprisoned Baha'is are baseless and a pretext for the persecution and harassment of a disfavored religious minority," Leo said. "They should be released immediately."

    The seven Baha'is have been held for more than a year without formal charges or access to their attorneys, said Diane Ala'i, representative to the United Nations for the Baha'i International Community.

    She said the seven are being legally represented by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi and human rights lawyer Abdolfattah Soltani. But according to the human rights group Amnesty International, Soltani was arrested in Iran on June 16 and his whereabouts are unknown.

    Ala'i said the lawyers have not had access to their clients though they have been able to read their files.

    USCIRF, which is an independent bipartisan federal commission, said the seven Baha'is are charged under the jurisdiction of Branch 28 of Iran's Revolutionary Court, the same judicial process that convicted Saberi in April. The Baha'i prisoners are accused of spying for Israel, spreading propaganda against the Islamic Republic and religious offenses.

    "This trial is all about them being Baha'i," Ala'i said. "The accusations are completely false."

    The Baha'i faith is a world religion that originated in 19th-century Persia but Iran does not recognize it. Baha'is are regarded as apostates and heretics in Iran, where they have long been persecuted.

    Ala'i said that since the Islamic revolution in 1979, more than 200 Baha'is have been executed in Iran.

    Iran denies that the Baha'i community is mistreated. Earlier this year, prosecutor general Qorban-Ali Dorri Najafabadi, told state-run Press TV that the Iranian government has afforded the Baha'is with "all the facilities offered to other Iranian citizens."

    But Najafabadi said there is irrefutable evidence that many Baha'is are in close contact with Iran's enemies and have strong links to Israel.

    The treatment of the Baha'is in Iran and the detention of the seven prisoners have attracted global attention.

    Human Rights Watch, the world rights monitoring group, last month called for the release of the imprisoned or a prompt trial, with "fair and open proceedings."

    Lawyer Cherie Blair, the wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, wrote a newspaper column this week (read it here) urging international pressure before the trial to "ensure the seven men and women receive a fair trial and a chance of justice."


    Roxana Saberi and USCIRF Call for Release of Iranian Baha’is
    Posted: 09 Jul 2009

    The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)– responding to a letter from Roxana Saberi, the Iranian-American journalist who spent almost four months in an Iranian cell–today demanded the release of seven Iranian Baha’i prisoners of conscience who are set to go on trial Saturday and could face the death penalty, noting that this particular action is just one manifestation of the much broader pattern and practice of the theocratically supported repression that marks Iran’s current electoral crisis.
    “In addition to the hundreds of Iranians who have been detained in the context of Iran’s disputed presidential poll, many other ‘security detainees’ arrested long before the June election remain behind bars,” wrote Miss Saberi in a letter to USCIRF requesting U.S. government intervention in the Baha’i case. “These Iranians and the authorities who have detained them need to know that the Iranian people’s human rights are a matter of international concern.
    “The elections in Iran last month have exposed the world to the cold realities about how the Iranian government regularly deals with dissent or views that are a perceived threat to the theocratic regime,” said Leonard Leo, USCIRF chair. For example, a senior cleric, Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, recently said in a Friday sermon that election demonstrators should be convicted and sentenced to death for “waging war against God.”
    The seven Baha’is to be tried, two of whom shared a cell with Miss Saberi, are charged under the jurisdiction of Branch 28 of Iran’s Revolutionary Court, the same judicial process which convicted Miss Saberi in April. The Baha’is are accused of spying for Israel and other religious offenses.
    “The charges against these imprisoned Baha’is are baseless and a pretext for the persecution and harassment of a disfavored religious minority. They should be released immediately,” said Mr. Leo. “USCIRF urges the President and other leaders in the international community to speak out and call for the release of the seven Baha’i leaders, as the President did for Miss Saberi. These prisoners are in jail solely because of their religious identity, and have not been afforded any due process or direct access to legal representation.”
    On April 18, Miss Saberi was tried, convicted, and sentenced to eight years in prison on false espionage charges. After an international outcry, including statements by President Barack Obama, Miss Saberi appealed the verdict and was released weeks later. Currently, in Iranian prisons are more than 30 members of the Baha’i community, which is banned from practicing its faith.
    On July 6, 10 Nobel laureates, including former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, called on the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to urge the release of political prisoners and appoint a special envoy to assess the Iranian elections and their aftermath. The letter noted the laureates’ concern for 2003 Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi, a human rights lawyer who is legal counsel for the seven Baha’is and has not been permitted access to her clients. “USCIRF urges Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to appoint an envoy to investigate the elections and other instances of repression in Iran such as the impending Baha’i trial,” said Leo.
    Read the Letter by Roxana Saberi

    From Iran Press Watch

    Forceful appeal by German parliamentary group to release Iran's imprisoned Baha'i leadership



    Parliamentary Group in Germany demands release of imprisoned Baha'i leaders

    Posted: 10 Jul 2009


    Berlin – On the occasion of the upcoming scheduled trial of seven Baha'i leaders in Iran, the speaker on human rights issues of the parliamentary groups of the German Bundestag Erika Steinbach MP (CDU/CSU), Christoph Strässer MP (SPD), Volker Beck MP (B90/DIE GRÜNEN) and chairman Burkhardt Müller-Sönksen MdB (FDP) declare:

    On behalf of our parliamentary groups we demand the immediate and unconditional release of the leaders of the Baha'i religious community. The seven members of this group [known as the Yaran, or "Friends"] – two women and five men – were arrested more than a year ago. They have been accused of espionage for Israel, offending religious sanctities, propaganda against the Islamic Republic and recently in addition to these of "spreading of corruption on earth". They are threatened by the death sentence. The proclamation of their sentence is expected on July 11th.

    The judicial process is politically motivated and is aimed at the Baha'i religious community. Its 350.000 members living in Iran are systematically discriminated against and oppressed. Under the current government, the harassment of the Baha'is has increased, and it ranges from confiscations and defamation campaigns to arbitrary arrests. The arrest of these leaders, who were only allowed to fulfil this function informally, is aimed at further impairment of this religious community.

    Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Mahvash Sabet, Behrouz Tavakkoli and Vahin Tizfahm are non-violent political prisoners. As members of a religious minority not accepted in Iran, they are likely to be subjected to a show trial, the outcome of which would have been determined long ago.

    Our parliamentary groups welcome the fact that the German Federal government is making an effort to safeguard coordinated observation of the process of this trial from within the European Union. Everything possible must be done to release the prisoners, or at least provide a public, constitutional process, in compliance with international standards. Our current concern is about these seven accused leading members. We are, however, just as much worried about the approximately 30 Baha'is who are also imprisoned in Iran exclusively due to their religious convictions.

    [Original German at http://www.spdfraktion.de/cnt/rs/rs_dok/0,,48110,00.html; Translation by the Office of External Affairs of the Baha'is of Germany]


    From Iran Press Watch

    Genocidal attack on Iranian Baha'is within reach of Iran's regime

     

    Genocide Against the Iranian Baha'is Is Possible

    Posted: 10 Jul 2009

    According to a study by the Sentinel Project, genocide can be predicted. Christopher Tuckwood concludes in this study that the Iranian regime is making certain preparations in order to perform an act of genocide on Iranian Baha'is when the political order is given.

    The following text is based on the central statements made in a study by the Sentinel Project, in which it is convincingly put that certain factors make an act of genocide against the Baha'is probable.

    From the very beginning of its existence the members of the Baha'i faith were persecuted. Human rights were not respected prior to the Islamic Revolution, but since 1979 the human rights of Baha'is in Iran have been systematically violated.

    An Act of Genocide Is Probable

    Growing economic hardship in society increases the probability of an act of genocide on Iranian Baha'is. When under pressure, the majority in society constantly seeks scapegoats to carry the blame for all problems. The majority society makes the minority responsible for its own misfortune, treating it with notable aggression. At the same time the majority in the population seeks security in radical and charismatic leaders, particularly when these promise to improve living conditions for the majority. They are mostly unemployed young people who show readiness to attack minorities. The official unemployment figures for Iran were only 12.5% for the year 2008 but the real figure is much higher; added to this is the aspect of low wages.

    The Iranian State Controls the Media

    Tuckwood lists the strong state apparatus as a further factor that makes genocide probable. The Iranian state controls the media and has police, military, paramilitary and secret service forces at its disposal. Such a system is capable of committing genocide without having to fear punitive measures.

    Furthermore, the Iranian regime is an ideologically motivated and revolutionary one, which pursues utopian visions that can prove very dangerous for minorities.

    Tuckwood rightfully points out that it is very difficult to determine whether the regime is in fact planning a genocidal extermination of the Baha'i community, but there are indeed sufficient documents available substantiating that the Baha'i community's survivability to is to be prevented.

    State documents published in 1993 substantiate that the Iranian government wishes to 'block' the 'progress and development' of the Baha'i community. The Baha'is should not be allowed to study at universities and their religious activities should be suppressed. It was under the presidential term of Hashemi Rafsanjani that a secret document demanded "the destruction of their cultural roots abroad".

    Tougher Measures on the Part of the Dictatorship cannot be rules out

    In late 2005 an order by the Iranian army to the Iranian police, the secret service and the Revolutionary Guards commanded the identification of all Iranian Baha'is.
    Although it was not directly demanded that the Baha'is be physically eliminated, they were clearly to be forced to give up their faith and convert to Islam. Currently the Iranian government attempts to assert its objectives of suffocating the Baha'i communities with 'soft' approaches, but tougher methods on the part of the dictatorship cannot be ruled out.

    Evidence for and Stages of a Process of Genocide

    The author of this study acts on the assumption that the persecution of the Iranian Baha'is will bear strong similarities to history's well-known genocides.

    Firstly, the members of the Baha'i faith in Iran are not classified as a religious minority and therefore have no rights and receive no state protection.

    Secondly, the majority of Iranians have no personal experience with individual Baha'is and are influenced entirely by state propaganda. Facts like these play a significant role in the formation of stereotypes and in the dehumanisation of target groups, Tuckwood writes.
    Thirdly, the state and media hate-propaganda aiming to dehumanise the Baha'is is having an impact. The Baha'is are seen as heretics because they believe in a prophet who appeared after Mohammed. Furthermore, Baha'is are accused of working for foreign powers such as the USA and Israel. Baha'is suffer verbal abuse, being called 'prostitutes'. They are said to be 'incestuous' and 'filthy'. Tuckwood rightfully points out that it is easier for perpetrators to murder Baha'is when they have previously been dehumanised. At the same time, their dehumanisation encourages neutral observers to either become involved in the murders or to remain quiet.

    Individuals are Arrested Arbitrarily

    Point four: the Iranian state disposes of forces that make genocide entirely possible: the conventional army, the Revolutionary Guards, the police and the Basij militia. Since the Basij militia and the Ansare Hezbollah are under the command of state bodies but are not affiliated with them, they are able to carry out extensive violent acts against Baha'is. Incidentally, this is already happening: houses and buildings belonging to Baha'is are set on fire, cemeteries are destroyed or individuals arbitrarily arrested.
    Point five: the aim of the Iranian government is to separate the Baha'is from the rest of society. Any Iranian demanding that Baha'is and Moslems be treated equally is therefore accused of collaborating with foreign powers.

    Point six: the Iranian government has long since adopted steps to diminish the position of Baha'is in society. This is in preparation for a possible extermination of the community. Preparatory measures include exclusion from state bodies, restriction of their economic participation and exclusion from academic education.

    The Regime Is Potentially Capable of Annihilating the Baha'i Community

    The author of the study assumes that the Iranian regime is determined to destroy the Baha'i community's cultural survivability. In addition, the regime has the potential to physically eliminate the Baha'i community. While the regime has not yet undertaken such a step towards physical elimination, some factors point towards the fact that persecution is to be intensified or even a genocidal massacre be carried out.

    The security situation of the Baha'is can deteriorate under the following circumstances:

    • If the economic situation in Iran worsens, this can lead to an increase in social conflicts with the result that young unemployed people become even more radicalised, allowing themselves to become recruited by the Basij militia and thus developing even greater hostility towards Baha'is.
    • The more the radical conservative forces monopolise power, the more they will use the opportunity to suppress religious minorities, in particular the Baha'is
    • Whenever the conservative powers feel particularly challenged, their crimes can become ever greater.
    • The rulers can proceed even more aggressively if they become aware that soft means of 'converting' Baha'is to Islam have failed with the consequence that the physical elimination of the Baha'i community could be planned.

    Potential Factors that Make Genocide Possible

    With growing external threats the regime could feel pressured into eliminating what they perceive to be their internal enemies. A dilemma of this nature could become more likely if Israel or the USA were to stage a military attack on Iran. Indeed, the Baha'is are considered to be the 'fifth column' of these countries. Consequently, an increase in the danger of war likewise increases the danger of genocide.

    Domestic unrest and protest movements, whether from political rivals or ethnic minorities, can increase the danger of rulers intensifying their persecution of the Baha'is.

    Which Factors Point towards a Future Escalation?

    There are several factors that lead to genocide: the government attempts to block escape routes that the persecuted target group could use in order to travel abroad. The Baha'i community could become ghettoised, which would make mass arrest a simple affair. In the history of genocide, men and women were separated within communities. There is also the danger of Baha'i children being separated from their parents, since the aim of the regime to convert the Baha'i to Islam has failed. Separating children from their families could succeed in preventing growth in the community.

    The Iranian regime could deploy its military and paramilitary instruments in order to achieve its goals: army, Revolutionary Guards, police, Basij militia, Ansare Hezbollah or the Hojjatieh group.

    Finally, the study comes to the conclusion that no concrete systematic genocidal intentions on the part of the regime are at hand, but the intention to destroy the Baha'i faith is clear and further steps could be taken in this direction. The Iranian Baha'i community is poor, without leadership and without legal protection. As a consequence, the Iranian regime has already made numerous preparations to carry out an act of genocide on the Iranian Baha'i community, should the political order be issued.

    Furthermore, this phenomenon waiting for an order to commit genocide against Iranian Baha'is is reminiscent of Iran's nuclear programme. Non other than Hans Rühle, from 1982 to 1988 leader of the planning committee in the German Federal Defence Ministry, made clear in an article that Iran wants to persist on the level of a 'virtual power' "so as to await a convenient global political opportunity in order to perform the last step".

    At Present Further Executions Are Possible

    A judgement in the show trial against seven prominent Baha'is in Iran is expected on 11 July 2009. They are wrongly accused of "spying for Israel and the USA". Evidence has not been provided to date. The Iranian Baha'is are persecuted solely due to their beliefs and values because they believe that Mohammed was not the last prophet.

    International Law Professors Demand Tribunal against the Iranian Regime

    Payam Akhavan, a Canadian human rights professor who lectures at McGill University, fears that state repression could end in mass executions and in the torture of the leaders of the reform movement. Large-scale human rights violations committed by the state must be punished, just as President Slobodan Milosevic was punished. The United Nations must issue a statement that crimes against humanity will not go unpunished, says Professor for Human Rights Akhavan.

    Human Rights Professor and Canada's former Minister of Justice Irwin Cotler is seeking prosecution for Ahmadinejad before an international criminal court. The Iranian rulers not only oppress Baha'is on a large scale; they also invoke hate and genocide against Jews. This makes them accomplices in crimes against humanity. The Iranian government must be held accountable.

    [Source: http://www.europeandemocracy.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13475&catid=4&Itemid=22]